


Shorts and Leggings

by mr_superwhoavengelockgermany06 (ms_superwhoavengelockgermany06)



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Kisses, M/M, Shorts and Leggings Are the Perfect Combo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:35:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28600794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ms_superwhoavengelockgermany06/pseuds/mr_superwhoavengelockgermany06
Summary: It started with Iroh getting warm at the sight of Bolin in his...new fashion statement. And now? Well, he just might actually have feelings for him.
Relationships: Bolin/Iroh II (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 51





	Shorts and Leggings

Summers are hot in the Earth Nation, Iroh is learning. Perhaps not as hot as the Fire Nation, but definitely more sweltering than Republic City, where he had been stationed for the past few weeks. The collar of Iroh’s uniform was constantly damp with sweat as he carried out reconstruction plans, his troops aiding in fixing the damage done by Kuvira. His soldiers seemed less bothered by the heat, having shed their uniforms long ago. How envious Iroh was of them. He would do anything for just a moment out of his uniform jacket.

Iroh was working on carefully welding together a few plates of metal on the city’s wall, his brows furrowed as he concentrated on his flames. Sweat had started to bead on his forehead, dripping down his cheeks and nose. Ugh, it was so hot. Disgustingly hot. He hoped as it grew closer to the evening, it would get a little cooler. 

Suddenly, a crash broke Iroh’s concentration. His fingers twitched, causing his perfectly straight weld to skew. How unsightly. Hopefully no one would notice. Iroh turned towards the direction of the sound. It seemed a group of earth benders were trying to fix a few ground craters, filling them in with displaced rocks and flattening them. Ah. He couldn’t be too upset about that. They were working hard. He turned his attention back to his welding. 

After a few minutes, Iroh heard the group of earth benders move closer, starting work on a crater near Iroh’s section of the wall. He could hear Commander Bumi giving orders to them. Iroh couldn’t help but chuckle as Bumi started to tell one of his more… _fantastical_ tales as the team worked. 

Sufficiently distracted from his work, Iroh decided to take a moment to check in with Bumi about the progress of the reconstruction. It was definitely not to get away from the heat of his flames for a few moments. That would be silly. He walked over to Bumi, standing beside him quietly as his eyes scanned the crew. 

“What’s this? Think I’m slackin’ on the job, General?” Bumi joked. 

“Of course not. I just thought I would come check on my soldiers. Many of the earth benders are new recruits.” Iroh said. 

“You’ve got a good crop here. Strong benders, good kids.” 

“Thank you, Commander.” 

Bumi laughed. “Don’t be so formal, kid. You’re my higher up.” 

“Only in military rank.” 

“Psh.” 

The two continued to chat for a moment. Iroh was pleased with Bumi’s assessment of his new recruits. He knew the young soldiers had been under a lot of pressure, being thrown into battle with Kuvira so shortly after entering the force. Iroh was proud of them. Incredibly so, in fact. He would have to find a way to reward them - and the rest of his troops - for their hard work. 

The conversation came to a halt as someone ran up to the duo. Iroh was fully prepared to see one of his soldiers, but instead, he saw a head of windswept brown hair and big green eyes. Ah, Bolin. Iroh had assumed the man would have returned to Republic City. 

“Hey, General! Gosh, it’s a scorcher today, huh? Well, I mean, maybe not for _you_ , being a fire bender and all. Or maybe still for you! You’re looking pretty sweaty!” Bolin greeted. 

Iroh raised an eyebrow. “Hello to you, as well, Bolin.” 

“Oh, that was rude, wasn’t it? I just meant you looked hot, like, physically. Wait. Not like, _hot_ hot, but like warm.” 

Iroh looked Bolin up and down. The earth bender was a bit dusty, his cheeks tinged pink from the sun exposure. He was dressed in a sleeveless shirt and tight shorts that reached just above his mid thigh, with leggings underneath. The leggings were skintight, showing off the curves of Bolin’s thighs and calves. 

Just like that, Iroh’s mouth was dry and his cheeks felt warm. And this time, it wasn’t from being in the sun. His eyes refused to leave Bolin’s legs. Surely the shorts and leggings look wasn’t typical Earth Nation attire? Or typical Republic City attire, more accurately. Iroh supposed it was more suitable for keeping cool than normal pants, in any case. Not to mention, the leggings hugged Bolin so incredibly well… 

Iroh forced himself out of his thoughts. He looked at Bolin, who was smiling at him. 

“So? Can I?” Bolin asked. 

Iroh blinked. What had Bolin asked? “My apologies. What can I do for you?” 

“I just wanted to know if I could maybe have a few earth benders to work on some things in the inner city. If you have any to spare. If not, that’s cool, totally understand.” 

“Oh. Of course. I’ll send a few to you.” 

“Oh, man, thanks! Lin will be happy to hear it! I’m gonna head back and tell her!” 

Before Iroh could say anything, Bolin was running off. Iroh watched him go, trying to ignore the way Bolin’s backside looked in that shorts and leggings combination. He was a gentleman, after all. 

Bumi laughed. “Pick your jaw up off of the floor, Iroh. You’re drooling.” 

Iroh frowned. “I am not drooling.” 

“Oh, you are. And we all know you were sneakin’ a peek at Bolin’s buns.” 

“I was not.” 

“You’re in denial, huh? You could do worse than him, kid. Bolin’s a good guy.” 

“We are not speaking about this.” 

“C’mon, lighten up. I ain’t gonna tell anyone that you’ve got a little crush.” 

Iroh pinched the bridge of his nose. This conversation was infuriating and exhausting. And of course, Bumi thought it was funny. Iroh excused himself so he could begin dividing his earth benders. He figured he would send his best and brightest to Bolin. Simply because they would be better suited for delicate projects in the heart of the city. No other reason. None at all. 

*****

Iroh is a disciplined man. He wakes up before dawn, he trains daily, he commands his fleet with strength and honor and dignity. He does everything in his power to conduct himself with respect and humility and civility. It’s in his very nature. His mother raised him well. 

But spirits, this was a test of his will. 

Iroh was once again settled in at the Northern Air Temple, thanks to Bumi and Tenzin’s incredible generosity. They had offered to house his troops for the week, a sort of vacation for them. Iroh was quite pleased to be back. The island was always peaceful and Republic City was just a short ferry ride away. Perhaps he could do a little shopping, find something nice to bring back for his mother and grandfather. 

The morning after Iroh had docked, he found himself in the dining room, seated between Korra and Jinora and across from Bumi and Tenzin. Jinora was telling him about her tattoos and the books she had been reading, while Tenzin tried to get her to give Iroh a little peace. Iroh simply held up a hand to Tenzin, smiling slightly. He didn’t mind the conversation. 

“Alrighty! Breakfast is served! We got your lychee juice, your orange juice, your creamed wheat with various fruits, and of course, your apple dumplings!” Bolin said jovially, balancing plates and bowls in his arms. 

Korra stood and made her way to Bolin, taking a few dishes from him. 

“Jeez, Bolin, are you feeding an army?” Korra teased. 

Bolin looked at Iroh, then back to Korra. “Uh, yeah. A whole army. Literally. I hope they like dumplings because I was up super early to make them. Did you know they grow those super tasty pink apples in the orchard? They make _awesome_ dumplings.” 

Korra chuckled at Bolin’s babbling, helping him arrange the plates on the table. Iroh’s soldiers were starting to wander in now. They took any seat available, digging into the breakfast feast without hesitation. Meelo was shoveling creamed wheat and fruit into his mouth at a speed that seemed impossible, and a few of the soldiers were trying to keep up with the boy. Iroh huffed a laugh at that. Even he knew Meelo couldn’t be beaten when it came to food. 

Iroh was about to start eating himself when he noticed Bolin starting to walk away again. Korra took her place next to the general, and Iroh turned to her, brows furrowed. 

“Isn’t Bolin going to have breakfast?” Iroh asked. 

“Oh. I think he’s going to grab more food. He’ll probably eat once he finishes up.” Korra said, filling her plate with dumplings. 

“I see. I’ll go see if I can help. He’s being gracious, feeding my units.” 

Korra’s mouth suddenly formed a sly smile. “Oh. Right, right. I’m sure he could use a hand.” 

Iroh’s eye twitched. He turned to look at Bumi, who was watching them with a sly smile of his own. Iroh glared at the man. So much for Bumi not running his mouth to anyone. He was spreading his rumors happily, it seemed. Iroh stood and made his way out of the dining room, ignoring Korra and Bumi’s amused looks. 

The walk to the kitchen was quick. Iroh entered the room, clearing his throat as he did so. Bolin startled, turning around with a wooden spoon in hand. He let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the general. 

“Did you need something? Oh, I forgot tea! You like tea, right? I can make tea! I have black, green...oh, or I could make you an herbal blend. You know, a little mint, a little citrus. A good morning tea!” Bolin exclaimed cheerfully. 

“Actually, I came to see if you needed help. Korra said you had more trays to carry. Please, allow me to carry something.” Iroh said. 

Bolin’s cheeks turned pink. “Oh. Well, I guess if you really wanna help. That pot of creamed wheat needs to go to the dining room. You want to take that while I take the bowl of dumplings and the bowl of fruit?” 

“If that’s what will help you.” 

“Total lifesaver task. Saving my tush here, honestly.” 

Iroh smiled softly. Bolin grabbed his bowls and began walking towards the dining room again. Iroh followed suit, careful not to spill any of the pot’s contents. As they reached the dining room, Iroh found himself stopping in the doorway, eyes glued to Bolin as he walked ahead. There it was again. The shorts and leggings. Though, Bolin’s shorts were a bit more loose this time. Regardless, it had Iroh’s heart beating a little faster. 

Before Iroh could move again, Korra sauntered up to him, taking the pot from his hands. That pulled Iroh from his distracted state. He looked at her for a moment, then back to Bolin, who was bent over to pick something up off of the floor. Oh. Maybe the shorts weren’t as loose as Iroh had thought. Korra snorted. 

“Real subtle. He’s gonna catch you if you keep staring.” Korra said. 

“I am not staring at anything.” Iroh said, his eyes shifting away from Korra’s. 

Korra turned to look at Bolin. He seemed to be happily talking to everyone, hands flailing around. Typical bubbly Bolin. It was no surprise why Iroh would be taken with him. 

“You know, Ikki looks a little lonely with just Pema. I think I’m going to sit with her.” Korra said. 

“Oh. Please, take my seat, I can move.” Iroh said. 

“Nah. I think you’ll have fun with Bumi and Tenzin and Jinora,” Korra gave Iroh a positively evil smile, “and Bolin.” 

Korra left Iroh and gathered her plate from the table, moving herself to the seat beside Ikki. That left only one seat at the table free. The seat right next to Bolin. Iroh forced himself to straighten his posture. This was fine. After all, Korra was being ridiculous. Iroh had no feeling towards Bolin other than respect and friendship. He walked to his seat. Promptly, he was hit with another view of Bolin’s fashion statement, one he hadn’t been expecting. 

It seemed Bolin had chosen to sit in the seiza position, legs tucked beneath him. It made his thighs look so...big. The fabric of his leggings were stretched taut against them. Also, this vantage point gave Iroh a revelation about Bolin’s shorts. They were high waisted. That made Iroh’s palms feel sweaty. Something about the high waisted shorts was just nice on Bolin. 

Once again, Iroh found himself having to be forcibly pulled from his thoughts. Bumi sent a blast of air to the general’s face, messing up his nicely gelled hair. Iroh cleared his throat, embarrassed, as he sat down and began to eat. 

“Aw, man, I never made your tea! I’m sorry.” Bolin said. 

Iroh looked at Bolin from the corner of his eye. The young earth bender looked genuinely distraught over the fact. That was one of Bolin’s best qualities; he wore his emotions so honestly. He was so open. It was quite adorable. Not that Iroh found Bolin adorable. He just appreciated the earnestness. 

Bumi smiled smugly. “Well, Bolin, maybe you can make it up to the good general, huh? Take him for tea some time?” 

Bolin’s eyes lit up. “Oh, definitely! I know a super great place in Republic City. It’s a little dingy compared to what you’re used to, probably, but their tea is awesome! Wait, not that I’m trying to take you to, like, a rough place. Mako and I used to go there all the time when we worked with the Triad and I just admitted that we were criminals! At one point. Kind of. I’m just going to eat now.” Bolin said, stuffing a dumpling in his mouth. 

Iroh could tell that Bolin felt embarrassed now. He put down his chopsticks and turned to Bolin. 

“I would like to have tea with you at this place.” Iroh said. 

“Oh. Great! It’s a date! Well, not like a _date_ but like a date. Between friends. Friend date.” Bolin said. 

“Right.” Bumi said, cupping his hands around his mouth before calling out, “Korra! You hear that? Friend date!” 

Korra let out a whoop. Bolin grinned. 

“We can invite Korra and Asami, too. And Mako. It’ll be a great time!” Bolin said. 

Bumi made a disappointed face. “Wait, no, Bolin -“ 

Iroh glared at the former commander. “That sounds wonderful. It will be nice for all of us to have a night out together.” 

“Right? I’ll ask everyone what time they can go! Oh, we can maybe check out the park, too! They made this cool little area in honor of Korra.” Bolin said. 

Iroh nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. “Sounds nice. I’ll look forward to it.” 

Bolin cheered. He got up and hustled to Korra, telling her all about the things they could do in Republic City. The woman grinned and flexed her arms. Iroh could only imagine what they were planning. Suddenly, the two were up and faux sparring playfully. Korra ducked under a kick from Bolin. A kick that gave Iroh another fantastic view of thick thigh and tight glute. The dumpling he had been about to eat dropped from his chopsticks. Tenzin sighed. 

“General Iroh, I hate to be rude, but please, as Bumi would say, “keep it in your pants.”” Tenzin said, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Bumi howled with laughter. Iroh felt his cheeks heat up and he straightened his posture, focusing on his food. Yes, his mother had raised him to be a gentleman and a scholar. He would do well to remember that. But even the most disciplined men sometimes showed weakness. 

*****

Later in the week, Iroh found himself with Team Avatar, wandering the streets of Republic City. Mako and Bolin were leading the way. Their knowledge of the streets was impressive, and it seemed no matter where they went, someone knew them. Though, it could be assumed that they were well known from their pro-bending days. Or for their mover stardom, in Bolin’s case. 

Once again, Bolin was in his shorts and tights. However, Iroh was prepared this time. He would not let it get the better of him. He was a strong willed, respectful man. He could keep his eyes from wandering. Even if it was a challenge, because Bolin’s shorts were very tight today. _Very_. Iroh pulled his collar away from his neck, suddenly hot. Damn these unnecessarily warm summers. 

They had been walking for a while, taking in the sights of the city and stopping into stores to look around. Iroh had ended up buying a few things from a little shop Mako had pointed out. He was sure his mother would enjoy the handmade soap and candles. Now if he could just find something for Grandfather Zuko. Bolin stopped the group, excitedly pointing at a storefront. 

“Hey, Mako! You remember that place?” Bolin asked. 

“You mean the place Shady Shin stole birthday gifts for us from?” Mako asked. 

“Yeah! I mean, the stealing wasn’t good but remember he got you the pai sho board? And he taught us to play!” 

“Oh, yeah. We hustled pai sho for a while thanks to that.” 

“Let’s go look!” 

“Bolin, we don’t need to go to a toy store-“ 

Korra punched Mako’s arm lightly. “Come on, Mako, live a little. Show us where your birthday presents were stolen from.” 

“I don’t think I’ve ever actually been to a toy store,” Asami said, tapping her chin thoughtfully, “my father made most of my toys. I want to see what it’s like.” 

“I’m getting outvoted no matter what.” Mako said. 

“Oh, definitely. But we’ll ask Iroh. For democratic purposes.” Korra said. 

Iroh looked at the group. He had no problem taking a look around. And with the puppy dog eyes Bolin was giving, how could he possibly say no? Iroh nodded. 

“I can’t remember the last time I went to a toy store. It will be fun.” Iroh said. 

Bolin and Korra cheered, dragging Mako and Asami into the shop. Iroh trailed behind, smiling softly as Bolin showed Asami all the toys and games on the shelves. She was laughing along with Bolin as they picked up hand puppets and began playing with them. Mako and Korra had become enraptured with a checkers board that was sitting out. So, Iroh decided to look around on his own for a bit. 

After a moment, he stopped in front of a display of plush toys. A turtleduck plushie caught his eye. He picked it up and pet it gently. Oh, his grandfather would love this. Iroh kept it safely nestled in the crook of his arm as he looked at the other stuffed toys. There were all sorts of them, big and small. Polar bear dogs, otter penguins, catgators, eel hounds, and badgermoles stared at Iroh, but he could only focus on one specific toy. 

A little fire ferret that looked exactly like Pabu. 

Without thinking, Iroh put the fire ferret plush beside the turtleduck in his arms. He quickly walked away from the area and bumped into Asami, who was looking through the bins of games. She smiled at him, her eyes wandering to the toys in his arms. 

“That turtleduck is cute. I didn’t take you for a stuffed animal man.” Asami said. 

“Oh. Well, it is for my grandfather. He likes turtleducks very much.” Iroh explained. 

“How sweet. It’s so nice of you to get things for your family. I’m sure they love it.” 

“I am happy to be able to do it for them.” 

Asami cocked her head, seemingly innocent. “Well, who is the fire ferret for, then?” 

Iroh blinked. He looked at the plush toy, feeling a little tug in his chest. Should he admit that he picked it up for Bolin? That he couldn’t help but think of the earth bender, because he knew how much Pabu meant to Bolin? That was probably fine. They were friends, after all. Friends gave each other presents all the time. 

“It reminded me of Pabu. I thought Bolin would enjoy it.” Iroh said. 

Asami chuckled, giving Iroh a look he couldn’t quite place. “Oh. Well, Bolin _does_ love Pabu. And plushies. You’ve picked a good gift.” 

“I suppose it isn’t a gift. There’s no special occasion.” 

“Yet.” 

Before Iroh could ask what she meant, Asami was swept away by Korra, who wanted to show her something. Iroh was alone again. He looked around, trying to find something to pretend to be interested in. He didn’t want to seem rude when everyone else was still enjoying themselves. There had to be something he would like around here. 

“Oh, hey, I’m gonna squeeze past you real quick.” 

Iroh turned to see Bolin, who was carefully shuffling in front of him. Iroh stepped back to let the man through. He ignored the way Bolin brushed against him, restraining himself from reaching out to touch the small of the earth bender’s back to guide him. Bolin stopped in front of one of the bins Asami had been looking through. He fished out a rather elegant looking pai sho board. Iroh couldn’t help himself. He leaned in for a closer look. 

“It’s pretty, huh? With the flowers? Asami will like it.” Bolin said. 

“I didn’t know Asami played.” Iroh said. 

“Oh! We play all the time! We drive each other _crazy_. Did you know the pai sho rules have, like, no stability? We both learned to play a certain way and the rule book says both are right.” 

Iroh smiled. “Is that so?” 

“It’s terrible! She always wins! Any time I get close, Pabu jumps on the board. I think Asami bribes him.” 

Iroh laughed. “Perhaps Pabu wanted to play, too.” 

Bolin looked thoughtful. “Can fire ferrets play pai sho?” 

“I’ve seen Grandfather Zuko play with turtleducks. Though, I don’t think they were really playing. I think Grandfather does it so he always wins.” 

Bolin giggled. Iroh’s chest felt tight. Bolin looked nice when he laughed. The earth bender stopped laughing after a moment, looking at Iroh with a dazzling smile. 

“Anyway. Asami’s board is looking a little rough, so I figured she’d like a new one. I got some things for Mako and Korra, too! See? This is a little windup polar bear dog, just like Naga! And this is a little music box for Mako, it’s got a little fire bender in it. The song is like…” Bolin trailed off, looking a bit sad, before smiling again, “and this is for Wu! It’s a harmonica shaped like a badgermole!” 

Iroh nodded along as Bolin explained each item. It was sweet that Bolin thought about his friends so much. He picked everything with so much care and love. Not to mention, Bolin was just so happy about it, bouncing on his toes. Iroh looked down against his better judgement. The bouncing had Bolin’s legs flexed beneath his tights. They looked so strong. Iroh forced his eyes back to Bolin’s face. 

What was wrong with him? It wasn’t like he had never seen an attractive feature on someone before. Iroh had come across many people in his travels, some incredibly handsome, but it never bothered him like this. Iroh took a deep breath. He was being ridiculous. This was mind over matter. He just needed to not think about it. 

Korra, Asami, and Mako found their way to Bolin and Iroh. They were done trying to play checkers. Mako was a _cheater_ , and Korra wouldn’t stand for it anymore. Asami ran a hand through Korra’s hair, trying not to laugh. Bolin looked over to them, pouting. 

“No! You can’t see this! Not yet!” Bolin cried, running off. 

Mako pinched the bridge of his nose. “Bo, seriously?” 

“It’s a surprise!” 

Mako grumbled. “Everyday with you is a damn surprise.” 

“You’re so grumpy today.” Asami teased. 

“I’m not.” 

“You are. Do you miss Wu?” 

“Do I miss _Wu_? Hell no. He can stay in the Earth Nation. Singing, or whatever he does.” 

Korra snorted. “As if. I’ve seen your letters. “My big tough guy, I know it’s so hard for us to be apart…”” 

Mako’s cheeks burned red. “That’s Wu being a moron.” 

“Mhm. You know, you and Bo are the exact same level of in denial about love. Must run in the family.” 

Mako’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?” 

Asami discreetly looked to Iroh. “Nothing. Look, there’s Bolin.” 

Sure enough, Bolin had returned, his treasures safely tucked away in bags now. Iroh looked at his own finds. He should go pay for them. He would hate to keep everyone waiting. Excusing himself, Iroh made his way to the counter. Once he paid, he tucked his purchases away. He would give Bolin his gift later. Perhaps away from the prying eyes of everyone. He would hate for more people to indulge in silly rumors. 

“Well, I’m starving.” Korra said. 

“Yeah, it’s getting close to dinner time. Any suggestions?” Mako asked. 

“Oh! Bolin! Where’s that place we went on our date? The noodle shop?” 

“Narook’s! It’s only two blocks over! Oh, man, that place is great. I haven’t been there in a while.” Bolin said. 

“As long as you promise that I won’t have to carry you out again, I’m good with Narook’s.” Mako joked. 

“Pabu’s gonna be so mad that we went without him. I’ll take him some back.” 

With that, the group set out for Narook’s Seaweed Noodlery. Bolin and Korra were explaining all the best dishes at the restaurant, raving about dumplings and fish noodles. Mako recounted the time he had to physically carry Bolin out of the shop after a heartbreak induced noodle binge. Iroh smiled as he listened. 

They reached the shop and Mako and Bolin pulled the curtains aside, Bolin gesturing dramatically for everyone to enter. Korra and Asami stepped inside, followed by Mako. Iroh waited, taking Bolin’s side of the curtain in his own hands. 

“Please, after you.” Iroh said, making his own rather dramatic gesture. 

Bolin’s laughed, his eyes not quite meeting Iroh’s. “Thanks!” 

Asami and Korra looked back at them. Korra made a kissy face. Iroh grit his teeth. She had been spending far too much time with Bumi, it seemed. Once Bolin entered, Iroh allowed himself to step into the restaurant. He scanned the area, taking in the wall art and busy tables. It was a nice place. He wondered if his grandfather would like it. He always seemed to have an affinity for the culture and food of the Southern Water Tribe. 

The quartet settled themselves in a booth. They were given their menus and they happily began discussing. They decided on doing a sort of family style meal, so everyone could try many different dishes. Iroh was excited for it. It wasn’t often he could have such a meal, living on the ships with so many people. Not to mention, he wasn’t really one to treat himself. Bolin pointed to the menu, nudging Iroh with his shoulder. 

“Look! They have tea! I told you we’d have tea.” Bolin said. 

“I appreciate you being a man of your word.” Iroh said. 

A waiter came by and took their order, gathering up their menus. Bolin excitedly ordered a pot of green tea with lemon. The waiter left again. However, he was quickly replaced by another man. 

“Bolin?” The man asked. 

Bolin’s face lit up. “Whoa! Hasook? It’s been a while!” 

Hasook grinned. “Too long.” 

Mako glared at Hasook. “Well, nice reunion. We’re trying to enjoy a meal, so.” 

Hasook ignored the fire bender, ruffling Bolin’s hair. Bolin blushed, chuckling. 

“What are you up to these days? Still pro-bending?” Hasook asked. 

“Oh, nah. I work with President Zhu Li now.” Bolin said, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. 

“Look at you. You’re all important now. Little different from the kid I knew.” 

Bolin bit his lip. “Don’t know if I was really a kid then. I mean, we…” Bolin looked at Mako, who looked like he was about to explode, “we were close in age! That’s what I mean!” 

Iroh felt a dark emotion swirling in his stomach. What had Hasook and Bolin done? Had they been together? Did they still have feelings for each other? Ah, so it was jealousy he was feeling. That was stupid, though; Iroh had no reason to be jealous. 

Mako crossed his arms over his chest as Bolin and Hasook talked. He couldn’t believe Bolin was even entertaining the guy. Especially since Mako had caught Hasook cornering Bolin in the changing room all those years ago, sticking his hand down the earth bender’s pants. Bolin had been crying, and Mako had nearly beaten Hasook to a pulp. Bolin had gone quiet for a while after that. Mako couldn’t believe his brother could have a conversation with the guy after that. 

“So, you seeing anyone now?” Hasook asked. 

“Oh. Uhm, not really. I mean, I was kind of dating Opal for a while but we decided that wasn’t really working out. We’re still good friends, though! I see her all the time!” Bolin said. 

“Well, if you’re free sometime, maybe we could meet up. Like old times. You’re wearing your old get up, after all.” 

Bolin looked at his lap. “Oh. Well, I just started wearing this style again! The shorts and tights are good for movement.” 

Hasook smirked. “I bet.” 

Bolin looked down at his lap again, picking at his leggings. He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Maybe he should go back to his normal outfit. He wasn’t meant to be fashionably adventurous, anyway. He never had been before now. 

Iroh cleared his throat. “I have been rude. Hello, I am General Iroh, of the Fire Nation. It is nice to meet a...friend of Bolin’s.” 

Hasook sized Iroh up for a moment. “Oh, I see. It’s complicated.” 

Iroh frowned. “Nothing is complicated.” 

“What’s complicated is enjoying dinner with you around. There’s a reason you had to leave the Fire Ferrets. And it’s the same reason you should leave now.” Mako snapped. 

“Mako, it’s okay. Forgive and forget, right?” Bolin asked softly. 

“No, Bolin. Not this time. Not after what he did.” 

Korra looked at Hasook, cracking her knuckles. “You hurt Bolin?” 

Hasook held up his hands. “It wasn’t like that. Right, Bolin?” 

Bolin sighed, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. They were supposed to have food and tea and keep having fun. And now all anyone was thinking about was what happened between him and Hasook nearly five years ago. Bolin didn’t want to think about that. Not with Mako here and definitely not with Iroh here. 

Not to mention, Bolin had felt so weak at the time. He has grown so much since then! He was secretary to the President, he could lava bend, and he had helped stop tons of big baddies! And yet, he now felt like he was back in that locker room. A drop of water hit Bolin’s hand. Oh no. 

Not the tears. 

Mako practically flew out of his seat and grabbed Hasook by his shirt. No one made his brother cry and got away with it. Not on his watch. Korra already had water coming out of the decorative fountain, ready to slam Hasook at a moment’s notice. Before anything could escalate too much, Iroh stood. He looked to Hasook, his posture strong and straight. The jealousy he had been feeling had turned to anger. How dare anyone hurt Bolin, who was always so optimistic and helpful and nice? 

“I believe it is time for you to take your leave. You have done quite enough damage. I believe whatever happened in the past was definitely “like that,” as you put it.” Iroh said, trying to keep his voice calm. 

“Just get out of here, Hasook. Before I call my chief.” Mako said. 

Hasook huffed. “Whatever. Call me if you ever get tired of the stiff here, okay, Bo?” 

“Don’t count on that call.” Korra snapped. 

Hasook stormed away. The table let out a sigh of relief. Bolton was still teary eyed, though he was obviously trying to hide it. Mako passed the earth bender his handkerchief silently. Bolin wiped his eyes and gave a watery smile. 

“Man, I hope the food comes out soon. Pork dumplings would be amazing right now.” Bolin said. 

Everyone collectively decided that if Bolin wasn’t wanting to talk about it, they would just help distract him. They returned to their previous conversation, teasing each other and laughing. Iroh watched Bolin from the corner of his eye. The brunet was obviously still upset. Not nearly as energetic as was normal. Iroh reached into the bag at his feet. This seemed as good a time as any for Bolin’s surprise. 

Iroh silently placed the little fire ferret plushie in front of Bolin. The earth bender’s eyes widened, a smile lighting up his face. He picked up the toy and hugged it close. 

“It’s just like Pabu!” Bolin exclaimed. 

“I thought so, too. You like it, I take it?” Iroh asked. 

“I love it! Thank you so much!” 

Bolin wrapped his arms around Iroh and gave the general a good squeeze. Iroh looked off into space, hoping to slow his racing heart. He hadn’t expected a hug, but it wasn’t unwelcome. Bolin had strong arms, perfect for hugs. Iroh wanted to groan. So much for not thinking about it. 

Bolin released Iroh and went back to hugging the fire ferret toy. Iroh didn’t miss the man’s embrace. Not at all. Luckily, Iroh didn’t have much time to think about how much he didn’t miss Bolin’s hug, because the waiter came with trays of food. The table fell into comfortable silence as they ate, Bolin still cuddling his new plushie. 

*****

It’s been a few months since the reconstruction of Republic City and the Earth Nation, and Iroh has finally docked back home. It was just in time for the first snowfall of the winter. He was sure Zuko was pleased with it. His grandfather loved the snow. And so did Iroh, for that matter. It was a welcome change from the heat of his last few stations. Despite it being autumn, it seemed the other nations stayed sweltering. He was able to stand outside in his uniform comfortably in the Fire Nation right now, which was a blessing. The sweat stains he had been forced to painstakingly clean out of his uniform would not be missed. 

Iroh entered the palace, bowing to the guards as he went. The guards insisted all the time that he not bow to them, and this time was no different. However, they protected his family when he was away. For that, he would always bow. They deserved his respect. 

He walked through the halls towards the throne room. His steps echoed as he did so. His eyes wandered around, taking in the decor that had remained the same for nearly forty years, since he had been a child. Portrait of past firelords, intricate flame-like designs on the wallpaper, framed traditional garments. They felt like home. They _were_ home. Iroh was glad to be back. 

Izumi smiled as Iroh entered the throne room. He stood from her seat, stretching out her arms. Iroh couldn’t stop himself. He ran to her. He wrapped his arms around his mother and hugged her tight. Izumi laughed. 

“My lovely son. I’ve missed you so much.” Izumi said. 

“I’ve missed you, too, Mother.” Iroh said. 

Izumi pulled away, her hands resting on Iroh’s arms. “Dinner will be ready soon. I’m excited to hear about all of your work. You’ve been so busy these last few months.” 

“Quite. That reminds me, I brought you and grandfather some gifts from my time in Republic City. Mako, Korra, Asami, and Bolin were gracious hosts, showing me a night on the town.” 

“It’s good to hear you had some fun. I worry about you. You’re always so stressed.” 

“Well, I suppose being General is not supposed to be very fun.” 

“No, but being alive is. You’re still young, Iroh. Enjoy yourself.” 

“I’m forty.” 

“Barely a drop in the ocean, dear.” 

Iroh smiled. Ah, his mother, ever the wise soul. She was an incredible woman. Iroh kissed her cheek before excusing himself to wash up for dinner. Izumi sent him on his way with a gentle pat to the cheek. Turning on his heel, Iroh left the room and headed to his chambers. His bags were sitting in front of the door. Iroh picked them up, nudging the door open with his shoulder. He dropped them inside of the room and kicked the door shut. 

Rummaging through his bag, Iroh pulled out the gifts he had gotten for Izumi and Zuko. They were wrapped nicely, which had been Asami’s doing. She had sat in his room at the Air Temple, her nimble fingers easily tying beautiful bows. Iroh had been impressed. He set the presents on the bed before making his way to the bathroom. Quickly, he washed his hands and wiped his face. 

Grabbing the gifts, Iroh slipped out of the bedroom, making his way down the hall to the dining room. He nodded to the officials wandering the hall as he went, stopping for pleasantries when needed. When he reached the dining room, he peeked inside. Zuko and Izumi were already at the table. Iroh stepped in and took his place beside them. Zuko smiled at him. 

“Iroh! Welcome home.” Zuko said. 

“Hello, Grandfather. I’m glad to be back.” Iroh said, patting Zuko’s hand. 

“So, tell us about your travels. I’ve enjoyed your letters. Though, I do wish you’d be a little less formal with your grandpa.” 

Izumi chuckled. “That’s our Iroh. Always so serious. I told him he needs to take some more time to have fun.” 

Zuko raised an eyebrow. “I happen to think he gets his seriousness from his mother. You were quite the stick in the mud at his age.” 

“Well, if _I_ got my seriousness from anyone, it would have been my father.” 

“Oh, you’ve gotten quick. I’m proud.” 

Iroh laughed, a deep laugh from his belly. Izumi and Zuko looked at him in surprise. What a pleasant turn of events. It was good to see Iroh happy. Playful. Zuko sipped his tea. He wondered what had happened in Iroh’s recent travels to make him loosen up a bit. 

As the trio talked, their food was brought out and the teapot was refilled. It was nice to be like this. Easy. Iroh felt so relaxed and warm. He really had missed his family. Once dinner was finished, Iroh gave Izumi and Zuko their gifts. Zuko immediately put the little turtleduck on his head, letting the plush toy rest there. Iroh chuckled. It looked ridiculous. Izumi enjoyed smelling the various soaps. She seemed to especially enjoy the pear and honey scent. Iroh’s chest felt tight. Bolin had recommended that one. The earth bender had said it was amazing, that he loved wearing the scent himself. That it smelled like candy and fruit orchards. Iroh found himself wishing he could smell it on Bolin. 

Zuko gave Iroh a knowing look. “Hmm. These are lovely. Thank you, Iroh.” 

“Of course, Grandfather.” Iroh said. 

“You’ve never been one for scents. You prefer plain soaps. How did you pick these?” 

“Oh. Well, I simply chose whatever smelled nice.” 

“No help?” 

“I suppose I did get a bit of help. From a friend.” 

Zuko gave the general a smug little grin. Iroh sighed. He really couldn’t escape it. Why did everyone care about his romantic life? Even Izumi was hiding a smile behind her teacup. Iroh felt warm suddenly. 

“Well, your friend did a good job. I love the scents. Thank you.” Izumi said. 

“I’m glad you like them, Mother.” Iroh said. 

“Speaking of friends, we will be having some guests during your stay. I hope you don’t mind maybe doing some entertaining?” 

“Of course. I will start thinking about good sights to tour. I’ll map it out after dinner.” 

Izumi chuckled. “It’s not so serious, dear. Though, they might enjoy a tour. Their last visit was under urgent circumstances. They never got to look around.” 

“I see. May I ask who it is that is visiting?” 

“Avatar Korra and her team. It will be nice to have them.” 

Iroh’s face flushed pink. Korra _and_ her team? That meant Bolin would be coming, too. Iroh took a deep breath. That was fine. He was on home turf now. He was far more at peace at home. He would be able to conduct himself normally, push down these weird feelings. Yes. That’s what Iroh was choosing to believe. Zuko examined Iroh’s face, smiling softly. 

“Well, it’s a busy day tomorrow. I think I’m going to turn in for the evening.” Zuko said, rising from his seat. 

“Let me walk with you.” Iroh said. 

“I always enjoy the company.” 

Izumi stood, kissing Zuko’s cheek. “Good night, Father.” 

“Good night, Izumi.” 

Iroh held out his arm. Zuko hooked his arm with Iroh’s, and they began their journey to Zuko’s chambers. They talked leisurely, enjoying each other’s company. Zuko told him about the new trees and flowers in the garden. Iroh responded with tales of his time at the Air Temple with Bumi and Tenzin. Those made Zuko laugh. He remembered Aang’s children so fondly. They had played with Izumi as children, and Bumi had even had a brief crush on Izumi when they were young adults. 

They came to Zuko’s door, and the older man patted Iroh’s hand. 

“Well, thank you for walking with me. Rest well tonight.” Zuko said. 

“You as well, Grandfather.” Iroh said. 

Iroh gave Zuko a quick hug before allowing him to disappear into his room. He started the walk back to the dining room to spend a little while with Izumi before bed. He was sure she wanted to hear about Bumi as well. 

*****

As usual, Iroh was up early the next morning. He wanted to get a quick workout in before Korra and the others arrived. Clear up his head a little from his swirling thoughts. A few of the guards had offered to spar with him, but Iroh had politely turned them down. He preferred to be alone. It helped him focus. Plus, there was something soothing about hitting a punching bag. The dull thuds of his fists and feet connecting with canvas were consistent. Comforting. 

After a while, Iroh moved on to fire bending. He pushed a few targets onto the floor and took his place in front of them. Flames burning in his hands, he took a deep breath and began. He positioned his hands, palms down, and used them to push himself off the floor and high into the air. Aerial combat was something Iroh had found he really enjoyed when bending. It had a definite advantage to him, being able to see the whole scene and build up power from the sky as he swung his fists down to shoot his flames. Also, flying was pretty interesting. Iroh may be a navy general, but sometimes it was nice to have his head in the clouds. 

Once he was finished, Iroh grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from his brow and chest. He tossed the towel over his shoulder and took his leave. Returning to his room, Iroh placed his hand on the doorknob, but he was interrupted before he could open the door. 

“Good morning, Iroh. I figured you would be done training about now.” Izumi said. 

“I went a bit longer than I thought.” Iroh said, wiping his forehead with the towel again. 

Izumi chuckled. “I can see. Avatar Korra and her friends have already arrived. I was just showing them around.” 

For the first time, Iroh noticed the group behind Izumi. Asami and Korra were grinning like cats who had gotten the cream. Korra leaned over to Bolin, who seemed to just be averting his gaze from Iroh. Whatever the girl said made Bolin’s cheeks turn pink. Mako seemed to have his usual slightly grumpy expression, but his eyes burned into Iroh’s with a look that could melt steel. Iroh looked down at himself. Right. He was shirtless. So unbecoming of him as a host. 

“My apologies. Hello, everyone. I’m sorry I look such a mess. I’ll be ready in a few minutes.” Iroh said. 

“I was just about to show them the gym. We’ll wait.” Izumi said. 

Iroh nodded and slipped into his room. He groaned. How embarrassing! He wasn’t fully dressed, he was sweaty, he looked so unprofessional. And in front of guests! He was surprised Izumi wasn’t upset by it. Iroh took a deep breath. No time to antagonize himself over it. He pulled out his clothes and made his way to the bathroom for a quick shower. He would hate to keep everyone waiting on top of being late and looking completely disheveled. 

Once Iroh was cleaned up, he left his room. Izumi and the others were still standing outside, chatting. Izumi was petting Pabu, the fire ferret chittering happily as she scratched behind his ears. Iroh reached out and gave Pabu a pat. Pabu hopped off of Bolin’s shoulder and scurried up Iroh. The fire ferret nuzzled Iroh’s cheek. Bolin grinned. 

“Aww, Pabu likes you! You know, he probably remembers you! Since you gave him noodles last time you saw him.” Bolin said. 

“Or maybe Pabu is just like his owner.” Asami said with a chuckle. 

“Food motivated and cuddly?” Mako asked with a huff. 

Korra punched Mako in the arm. Mako rubbed the bow sore spot, giving Korra a “what was that for” look. Iroh stroked Pabu’s head. The fire ferret jumped off of Iroh and back to Bolin, settling himself around Bolin’s neck. 

“Well, shall we continue on?” Izumi asked. 

“Oh, yeah. I’m excited to see the gym.” Korra said. 

“And Iroh just came from there! So he probably knows the gym really well! Well, he probably knows _every_ gym well. I mean, he has a lot of muscle. Not that I saw any muscle! No sir! You’re just really strong!” Bolin babbled, his cheeks flushing as he looked at his feet. 

Izumi looked between Bolin and Iroh for a moment. Iroh seemed just as flustered as Bolin, his hands straightening out his unwrinkled sweater. Ah. So Bolin must be the “friend.” And Izumi would bet anything that neither one of them knew it yet. She shook her head, smiling slightly. Her son was such a fool sometimes. She had been the same for many years. Denial ran in the family. 

The group walked along the halls to the gym. They still continued to talk, catching up from the last time they had seen each other. Iroh smiled as Bolin talked about working for Zhu Li, saying how wonderful she was and how absolutely annoying Varrick was. Even when he spoke of how frustrated he was with Varrick, Bolin still smiled. He said it fondly. It was obvious Varrick was a dear friend. Iroh wondered if Bolin felt that way about everyone. He had such an infectious positivity and friendliness. Iroh had no doubt Bolin made friends wherever he went. 

They reached the gym and Iroh slid open the door. Korra ran in, looking around with wide eyes. Oh, yes. This was _heaven_. She couldn’t help herself. She turned to Iroh. 

“What do you say, General? Up for a little sparring?” Korra asked. 

“One on one with the Avatar?” Iroh asked, stroking his chin in thought. 

“I promise I’ll only bend fire.” 

Bolin excitedly raised his hand. “Oh! Oh! If I join, you can earth bend, too! Evens the odds a little!” 

Iroh looked at Bolin. Well, he supposed that was a bit more fair. He nodded. 

“Alright. Though, I would have said yes to a one on one match as well.” Iroh said. 

Bolin cheered. He unwrapped Pabu from his neck and handed him to Izumi, who happily took the fire ferret. Mako was still glaring holes into Iroh while Asami playfully pushed at him. Bolin ran over to join Iroh. He gave the ground a few taps with his feet. Oh, this was good. They had a little help if they got in a bind. Bolin raised his fists, settling into a fighting stance. Iroh and Korra copied him. 

“You’re going down.” Korra said. 

“Don’t be so sure.” Bolin said with a grin. 

Asami stood at the edge of the gym floor. She motioned for Mako to come over. They might as well officiate. This was going to be good. 

“Alright. Three, two, one...go!” Asami called. 

Korra started out strong. Two quick blasts of fire, followed by a flurry of rock. Iroh easily dodged by propelling upward, while Bolin threw up a wall of stone. Bolin flipped backwards and pulled the wall he’d created out of the ground, hurling it at Korra. She ducked beneath it and ran forward, sweeping at Bolin with a kick, catching him in the chest. Bolin flew backwards. Iroh landed behind Korra. He carefully crafted an orb of fire in his hand and shot it towards her, hitting her in the back. Korra recovered quickly. She pulled a disc of rock from the ground, and then another. She ran towards Iroh, dodging his blasts, before stopping and throwing the discs. She made them connect at Iroh’s stomach, sending him backwards and to his knees, out of breath. 

“Ooo, that had to hurt.” Asami said, wincing. 

“He’s fine.” Mako said. 

“Yeah, but ouch.” 

Mako scoffed. “He’s the big, strong general. I’m sure he can take it.” 

Asami rolled her eyes. “Are you really that upset about it?” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Right. Oh, look! Bolin’s coming up!” 

Sure enough, Bolin had gotten up and made his way around Korra. He stomped on the ground, sending a quake that knocked Korra from her feet. He quickly enveloped her in earth before running to Iroh. He held out a hand, helping the general up. Their hands lingered for a moment. Iroh pulled away first, looking to Korra, who was already almost out of her earth prison. 

“What’s the plan here?” Iroh asked. 

“If we can keep dodging and slowing her down, I think we’ll be fine. She’ll start getting a little careless, but stronger. If we can make that happen, I think I can end this.” Bolin said. 

“And how will you do that?” 

Bolin winked. “Trust me.” 

Iroh gulped. Well, he couldn’t argue with that. By now, Korra had gotten free and started blasting them, alternating between fire and earth. A few attacks caught Bolin, but Iroh managed to avoid by pushing himself up with his flames. From the air, he lobbed a few bolts of lightning at Korra. That wasn’t cheating. Still definitely fire bending. One caught Korra and knocked her back. While she was down, Bolin began moving his hands. Suddenly, the earth opened up and out poured lava. Iroh watched in amazement. A _lava bender_. Incredible. Bolin quickly made the lava swirl around Korra and harden. It trapped her in. No escape this time. Korra laughed. 

“Bo, this is hardly fair. I can’t lava bend.” Korra said. 

“Still technically earth bending. So we win.” Bolin said. 

Asami clapped and whooped from the sideline. Bolin brought the lava away from Korra and back to the ground. He patched up the damage to the floor the best he could, turning to Izumi with a nervous smile. 

“Sorry, Ms. Firelord Izumi. Ma’am.” Bolin said. 

“Pay it no mind. This gym sees a lot of rough fights. I found this one very impressive.” Izumi said. 

“You’re getting good with lava, Bolin. My little bro is so strong.” Mako said, patting Bolin’s back. 

Iroh nodded. “I hadn’t expected that. Trusting you was the right thing to do.” 

Bolin blushed. “Oh, well, you know. Couldn’t have done it without that lightning getting Korra down! That was so cool!” 

“Please. You made a million mistakes. Anyone could have dodged those discs. And you were aerial for half of the fight. Afraid of getting hurt?” Mako snapped, rolling his eyes. 

“Mako.” Korra warned. 

“But I guess you did something. So. Good job.” 

Bolin rubbed his arm uncomfortably. “Well! It was a fun fight! Maybe we should, uh, move on? Out of the gym?” 

Izumi stood. Pabu jumped off of her and ran back to Bolin, scurrying onto his shoulder. Bolin gave the fire ferret a pat. 

“Of course. There is still much to see. And Iroh will be showing you around the city later. He’s quite an expert on our streets. He got into enough trouble in them as a boy.” Izumi said, a devious grin on her face. 

“Mother, please.” Iroh said. 

“Oh, so General Serious was a troublemaker, huh?” Korra asked. 

“You have no idea. You know, he used to get into scuffles all the time. Such a moody one, just like his grandfather was as a boy. Not to mention, every girl in the nation followed him around like polar bear puppies. Why, I distinctly remember when he was thirteen, he stuck his tongue out at a girl from a noble family and told her he would never, ever marry a girl.” Izumi said. 

Iroh sighed. Korra and Asami seemed to be enjoying this, and his mother was, as well. Iroh’s eyes wandered to Bolin, who was discreetly looking back at him. Their eyes met for a moment before they both looked away. Mako seemed to notice the exchange and moved closer to his brother, as if blocking him from Iroh’s view. Izumi kept telling tales of Iroh as a young boy, keeping the group entertained on their little tour. 

They eventually reached the garden, which was covered in a thin layer of snow now. The cold weather plants looked brilliant right now. Colorful snapdragons, chrysanthemums, pansies, and winter jasmine bloomed against the blanket of white. Korra and Asami dragged Mako along to look at the flowers, leaving Izumi, Iroh, and Bolin alone. Izumi looked at the two boys, smiling softly. She tapped Iroh’s shoulder and gestured for him to move closer. 

“I think Bolin would enjoy the roses. You should take him.” Izumi whispered. 

“Oh. Wouldn’t it be best to wait for everyone else?” Iroh asked. 

Izumi waved her hand dismissively. “I will lead them over when they’re finished looking. Go on. Listen to your mother.” 

“Yes ma’am.” 

“Good boy.” 

Iroh turned to Bolin. “Bolin. Would you like to see the roses?” 

Bolin seemed startled by the question. His cheeks were pink, but Iroh assumed that was more from the chilly wind than anything. Bolin looked away from Iroh before nodding. 

“I like roses. Do they still bloom in winter? I thought they didn’t.” Bolin said. 

Iroh smiled. “Trust me.” 

Bolin grinned. He followed Iroh to another section of the garden, his eyes going wide at the sight. So many roses! Roses everywhere! Beautiful reds, yellows, oranges, and pinks stood out against the snow. Bolin ran ahead of Iroh, wasting no time smelling the flowers and gently touching the petals. Iroh stayed back for a second, enjoying watching Bolin’s excitement. The earth bender seemed like he was on cloud nine. 

Iroh’s mouth went dry as he noticed Bolin’s outfit. 

The shorts and leggings. Fur lined shorts and wooly leggings to be exact, tucked into fur lined moccasins. And yet, they still hugged Bolin just right. His legs looked strong, every curve perfect. And as much as Iroh wished he didn’t notice… 

Bolin’s ass looked _spectacular_. 

Iroh took a deep breath. No. He was not going to let this get the best of him. He would be a polite host, a good friend. He wouldn’t let his weird… _lust_ ruin things. Especially with the Avatar and her friends. Iroh walked over to Bolin and stood beside him. 

“Hey! These are beautiful! What kind is this one? The red and yellow is so pretty!” Bolin gushed. 

“Oh. That is a Fire’s Kiss. Quite a popular species of rose here.” Iroh said. 

“Wow. And what about this pink one?” 

“Ah, that’s an Angel Blush. It matches the color of your cheeks right now.” 

Bolin blinked. He looked away from Iroh, pointing out another rose. Iroh mentally berated himself. Where did that come from? How uncomfortable he must have made Bolin. He turned his attention to answering Bolin’s questions about the flowers. Without the unnecessary flirtatious commentary this time. 

The duo made their way around the rose garden. Eventually, they came upon a bush full of deep burgundy roses that seemed to be edged with a green hue. Bolin’s eyes seemed to sparkle as he looked at them. 

“Oh! What is this one?” Bolin asked. 

“Those are Cupid’s Passion roses. Beautiful, are they not?” Iroh asked. 

“They’re gorgeous. The red is the same as your uniform!” 

“And the green is like your eyes.” 

The two men looked at each other. Bolin couldn’t help but notice how handsome Iroh looked. And he had brought him here, to the roses. That had to mean something, right? He began to lean in. Maybe...maybe Iroh _did_ like him. 

Iroh watched Bolin lean closer, the earth bender’s eyes beginning to close. His heart began to race. Was this real? Did Bolin...like him? Or was this just his mind playing tricks? Before Iroh could figure it out, he heard footsteps in the snow behind him. He turned to see his mother, Korra, Asami, and Mako. Coughing into his hand, Iroh tried to hide the blush creeping along his cheeks. 

“Hey, you two. You wandered off.” Asami said with a knowing smile. 

“Yeah, you totally missed all the other flowers.” Korra said. 

“Oh. Well, we’ll look when we head back. Bolin mentioned liking roses.” Iroh said. 

“Did he? Or do you take all your “friends” to see the roses, _General_?” Mako sneered. 

Korra and Asami both elbowed the fire bender. Mako glared at them, then at Iroh. The general stared right back. He had nothing to hide. He had simply shown flowers to a friend. Izumi cleared her throat. 

“Well, perhaps we should go in for lunch. Do you all enjoy pork cutlets and rice?” Izumi asked. 

“Oh! Yeah! Sounds great!” Bolin cheered. 

“One of my favorites.” Asami said. 

Izumi led the way to the dining room. Mako gave Iroh one last look before turning away, jogging to catch up with Bolin. Iroh sighed. What had he done? 

*****

It had been decided that tomorrow, Iroh would show Korra, Mako, Asami, and Bolin around the city. They had spent the remainder of the day looking around the palace and settling into the rooms. Bolin had loved his and Mako’s room. Iroh could tell. He had heard the man jumping on the bed as soon as he left the room. Korra and Asami had also settled in nicely. They hadn’t come out again until dinner. Iroh assumed they were enjoying the intimate alone time. 

Everyone had retired to bed a while ago, wanting to rest up for tomorrow. However, Iroh couldn’t sleep just yet. His head was too full of thoughts. Thoughts about Bolin. And that’s how he found himself at his grandfather’s door, knocking softly. Zuko answered rather quickly. He took a look at Iroh’s troubled expression and ushered the man in. Iroh sat stiffly on Zuko’s bed. 

“Relax, Iroh. It’s hard to talk when you’re so tense.” Zuko said, taking a seat beside Iroh. 

“Grandfather. I think I am unwell.” Iroh said. 

Zuko raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” 

Iroh swallowed hard. “I-I am saddled with these feelings. My heart is always beating fast, I feel warm. I cannot stop thinking about...his shorts and leggings.” 

“Ah. This is about the earth bender. Bolin.” 

Iroh nodded. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve never been so _fixated_ before. I feel so perverted.” 

Zuko sighed. “No, no. Attraction is normal. It’s not unusual for love to blossom from physical attraction.” 

“Why does it feel this way, then?” 

Zuko patted Iroh’s hand. It hurt so badly to see his grandson so distressed. He wasn’t used to seeing Iroh so open with his emotions. How long had Iroh been bottling this up? How long had this been upsetting him? Zuko shook his head. His grandson was unfortunately just like him. It seemed that a story of the past was in order. 

“Have I ever told you about my Sokka?” Zuko asked. 

Iroh blinked at his grandfather. “Sokka? From the Southern Water Tribe?” 

Zuko nodded. “We met when I was young. He was traveling with the Avatar, Aang. Of course, we didn’t grow close until after I stopped my mission of capturing Aang.” 

“I see. What does this have to do with my issue, Grandfather?” 

“Be patient. Many years after the end of the Hundred Year War, I found myself full of the same emotions you are. I would see Sokka so often for business, for friendly things. And he always wore these tunics. Tunics that showed off his arms. And I was so taken with them. It was all I could think about.” 

“Did it make you feel bad?” 

“At first, yes. I felt like I was being shameful. Like I was objectifying him. But then I realized, I noticed other things, too. Sokka was so funny. He could make anyone laugh, cheer anyone up. He was such an excellent leader, so strong and kind. He had this mischievous streak, always playing jokes on me. And I realized that I liked Sokka himself. And it took me a long time to tell him. Too long. But we had a few good years together, in love.” 

Iroh leaned in and hugged Zuko as the older man began to tear up. Zuko never talked much about his relationships. Maybe this was why. Iroh pulled away, his hand moving to pat Zuko’s. 

“Grandfather, I’m sorry.” Iroh said softly. 

“Time is fickle, Iroh. I waited too long. But you have many years ahead of you. Take your chance. I believe your odds are great.” Zuko said. 

Iroh nodded. “I understand. Thank you.” 

“Now. Tell me about this boy.” 

Iroh sighed. He should have known he wasn’t getting off so easy. Zuko enjoyed being part of the gossip. Of course he wanted to know about Bolin. Iroh supposed he could indulge his grandfather this once. 

“Well, he’s quite passionate. Excitable. And so friendly and kind. He always wants to help.” Iroh said. 

“I have noticed he’s very lively. A good opposite to you.” Zuko said with a sly grin. 

“Very funny, Grandfather.” 

“He seems like he knows how to enjoy things. That will be good for you. You should learn to stop and smell the flowers.” 

Iroh muttered under his breath, “we already have smelled the flowers.” 

“Oh, so you showed him the garden. Wonderful. Did Bolin like it?” 

“I suppose.” 

“Mm. Don’t be so uptight. It’s alright to admit it.” 

Iroh couldn’t stop himself. “We almost kissed.” 

Zuko chuckled. “Oh ho. Now, that is more like it.” 

“Grandfather, _please._ ” 

“Alright, settle down. Why did it not happen?” 

Iroh looked at his shoes. “Bolin leaned in, like he wanted to kiss. But I...I just didn’t know. If he really wanted that. If he liked me in such a way. And then everyone else caught up with us.” 

“Iroh. If a man is leaning in for a kiss, I assure you it means they would like a kiss. Really, you have such a big brain, but sometimes you don’t use it.” 

Iroh grit his teeth. “I just wanted to be sure.” 

“Let me ask you. Do you like Bolin?” 

Iroh nodded. He could say that with confidence. Since that time at the Air Temple, he and Bolin had been writing to each other periodically. Iroh always got warm reading Bolin’s letters. They were so boisterous and dramatic and silly, just like the earth bender. There were always silly hand drawn images of Pabu or one of his friends. He always asked how Iroh was, or mentioned wishing he could share a new dish he had made with the general. 

Even without the letters, Iroh often thought about Bolin. Whether it be that damned shorts and leggings combination, or his smile, or his big heart, Iroh couldn’t help but keep the man in his mind. And in that moment, it really hit Iroh. 

He _liked_ Bolin. 

Zuko laughed at the look on Iroh’s face. Ah, to be young and clueless and in love. Truly what life was all about. Iroh stood up and bowed to Zuko. 

“Thank you for your help, Grandfather. Wise as always.” Iroh said. 

“So serious. Be comfortable with your grandpa.” Zuko scolded. 

Iroh smiled. “Really, thank you. Talking to you helped a lot.” 

“Good. I expect tomorrow I will hear about a not-almost kiss?” 

Iroh groaned. Zuko laughed, patting Iroh’s arm. With that, they said their good nights, and Iroh was on his way to his room. He would need plenty of sleep to process these revelations. 

*****

The next morning, Iroh found himself wandering into the kitchen. He was freshly showered, muscles burning from a workout, and his throat was dry, so he figured he could find himself a glass of water and some peace there before everyone was awake. Maybe he could also take a peek at what was being made for breakfast. He wasn’t picky by any means, but he did have favorites. A small part of him hoped that it would be rice and eggs. Or maybe honey dumplings. Iroh loved those. 

Stepping into the kitchen, Iroh blinked in surprise. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one awake so early. Bolin was standing at one of the counters, kneading dough with one of the chefs. As usual, he looked so happy, flour smudges on his smiling face. Iroh swallowed hard as Bolin looked over to him. 

“Oh! Morning, General!” Bolin chirped. 

“Good morning, Bolin. Iroh is fine.” Iroh said. 

“But General is so much fun to say. And so cool!” 

Iroh couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “If we are using titles, then, should I call you Secretary?” 

Bolin’s hands stopped kneading the dough for a moment. A thoughtful expression formed on his face as he looked up at the ceiling. Then, he nodded. 

“I _do_ like that. Mister Secretary. Sounds so official.” Bolin said. 

“Alright then, Mister Secretary. May I ask what you’re up to so early in the morning?” Iroh asked. 

“Couldn’t sleep, so I came to get some water. Then Kimiki came in and said she was starting breakfast, and I’ve never cooked Fire Nation food before! So I asked if I could help out.” 

“Oh. That’s incredibly kind of you.” 

Bolin’s cheeks tinged pink. “Eh, not really. Really, Kimiki is helping me! The Fire Nation way of making dumplings is a little different from what I know, so it’s nice of her to show me how to do it. Especially since it slows her down.” 

“Still. This is a leisure stay for you. It is nice of you to help.” Iroh rolled up the sleeves of his sweater, “I would like to give you both a hand as well.” 

Bolin’s eyes wandered to Iroh’s forearms. Oh. The three-quarter sleeve was quite a look on Iroh. It showed off his strong forearms. Bolin turned his attention back to the dough. Iroh began kneading another ball of dough, trying to ignore how close he was to Bolin. He didn’t want to be too forward so early in the morning. He had to be patient, to find a good opening. A voice in Iroh’s head that sounded suspiciously like Zuko told the general to stop treating his feelings for Bolin like some sort of tactical map. 

Only a few moments later, Mako bursted into the kitchen. Once again, he was glaring at Iroh, his face twisted into a scowl. Iroh nodded respectfully. 

“Good morning, Mako.” Iroh said. 

“What’s going on?” Mako asked, moving forward to position himself between Iroh and Bolin. 

“We’re making breakfast! Honey dumplings!” Bolin said cheerfully. 

Mako smiled softly. “You just can’t stay out of the kitchen, can you?” 

“Nope! I’m learning all sorts of things. Like that we should totally get a rice pot for the Air Temple! Apparently here they have ones that make perfect rice every time. It’s so awesome!” 

“Sounds awesome. We’ll look around for one while we’re in town today.” 

Bolin’s face lit up at Mako’s words. Iroh smiled softly at the two. They must be so close. Mako grabbed another ball of dough that was on the counter and began kneading. His motions were far more rough than Bolin’s. Iroh wondered what exactly was on Mako’s mind to make him so upset. Bolin gently corrected Mako, telling him to relax his motions. 

“Do you _want_ tough dumplings? Because this is how you get tough dumplings.” Bolin said. 

“Sorry. Guess I’m a little grouchy this morning.” Mako said, smiling. 

“It’s okay! But you gotta use your wrists, not your thumbs. It’s like fire bending! You can’t be really tense or it doesn’t flow, right?” 

“Right. You’re getting really smart, you know that, little bro?” 

Bolin beamed at the praise, his cheeks reddening. “Nah, I’m just okay in the kitchen.” 

“Modest and smart. An excellent combination, Mister Secretary.” Iroh said. 

Bolin laughed nervously, training his eyes on his dough again. Mako frowned at Iroh. Didn’t the general know it wasn’t his place to say anything like that to Bolin? That he was just intruding on a nice, brotherly cooking session? Horrible. Rude. Mako grumbled as he kneaded his dough. 

Once the dumplings were ready to be steamed, Kimiki shooed Mako and Iroh out of the kitchen. She was complaining about “moody fire benders ruining her energy,” though Iroh felt that was unfair. He didn’t find himself particularly moody this morning. Actually, he was in the best mood he could be in. He had quite enjoyed cooking with Bolin, even with Mako’s look of death trained on him. 

Iroh lingered at the doorway to the kitchen, peeking inside. Bolin and Kimiki were standing at the stove, carefully placing the dumplings into a pot. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but both of them were laughing. It made him smile, seeing Bolin warming up to everyone in the palace. Mako huffed. 

“Kimiki asked us to get lost. Quit creeping around.” Mako said coldly. 

“I’m not creeping.” Iroh argued. 

Mako rolled his eyes. “Find a better hobby than staring. In fact, find a hobby that will keep you far away from -“ 

Mako was cut off by Korra throwing an arm around his neck. The girl squeezed lightly, putting Mako in a headlock. Asami sighed as she came up behind them. She smiled at Iroh. 

“Good morning. I hope Mako’s attitude isn’t souring your mood.” Asami said jokingly. 

“Not at all. We were just talking. We have been asked to vacate the kitchen until breakfast is done.” Iroh said. 

“Oh, you were helping with the food?” 

“I found Bolin helping this morning. I thought it would be nice to give a hand as well.” 

“I see. Korra and I made use of the gym again. You really have some advanced training tech in there.” 

“Oh, yes. The United Forces use the facility for training, so we try to keep it as up to date as possible.” 

“That makes sense. Anyway, I see Mako was helping in the kitchen, too.” 

Iroh nodded. “Yes. He, Bolin, and I were having a good time.” 

Asami laughed. “Until you got kicked out.” 

Korra finally released Mako. The fire bender ran his hands down the front of his shirt, straightening himself out. He would never understand how Korra always came in right when he had something important to say. It was uncanny. Korra gave Mako a pat on the back. 

“Well, I’m sure it was Mako who got you kicked out.” She said. 

“ _Me_? Why would you say that?” Mako asked. 

“Because you’re such a hateass lately.” 

“I am _not_ -“ 

Korra and Asami looked at each other before saying, in unison, “yes, you are.” 

“Well, have you seen yourself? When you had to be up early for Fire Ferrets practice, you would hurl rocks at me!” 

“I don’t deny that. But you’re twice as grumpy, and all day at that. At least I was only pissy in the morning.” Korra said. 

“Maybe I just don’t have any patience for people trying to -“ 

“Oh-ho-kay. No need to get into it. Maybe we should all go to the dining room. I would love to hear today’s plans, General.” Asami said. 

Iroh nodded. “Of course. I’ll lead the way.” 

And so he did. They reached the dining room without incident, finding Izumi and Zuko already there, chatting over a pot of tea. Iroh greeted them, giving them each a hug. He waited for Korra, Asami, and Mako to be seated before taking his own seat beside Zuko. Korra nudged Mako. 

“See? He loves his family. And he was so polite, waiting for everyone to sit before he did.” She whispered. 

“Yeah. Because this definitely couldn’t be him putting on airs.” Mako grumbled. 

Korra sighed. “Can you at least try to play nice?” 

“Tell General Player over there to play nice.” 

“He _is_. You think he hasn’t noticed you glaring at him? He’s not stupid.” Asami interjected. 

Iroh cleared his throat. He wondered if this would be a common occurrence today. It made him feel a little uncomfortable, the trio having hushed discussions while trying - and failing - to look at him discreetly. Zuko was looking between them all with interest. How long it had been since he had such an ordeal to revel in. This would be entertaining. 

“So, what will you be doing on your outing today?” Zuko asked. 

“Oh. Well, I have mapped a few landmarks to show everyone, and I thought lunch at a traditional restaurant would be nice.” Iroh said. 

“Ah, so typical of you. What about you all? Anything you really want to see?” 

“I want to see a dragon!” Korra exclaimed. 

Zuko chuckled. “There are many conservatories for dragons here. Is that on your list, Iroh?” 

“Yes, of course. They are quite the tourist attraction.” Iroh said. 

Korra let out a cheer. “Dragons, Asami! Can we ride them?” 

“They do love attention. I’m sure they would enjoy it. Now, Mako, Asami, what about you two?” Zuko said. 

“I’m actually excited to just look around. The best way to experience a place is by exploring, right?” Asami asked. 

“Oh, a wise one. You make sure you rub off on Iroh here with that attitude.” 

“I think Iroh’s already being rubbed off on by someone way more effective than me.” 

Iroh choked on his tea. Zuko took another sip, hiding his smile behind his cup. Mako scowled. 

“Well, I think I’d like to know where the police station is. In case I have a report.” Mako said, pointedly looking at Iroh. 

“If there is an issue, I would be happy to help investigate.” Iroh said. 

“Oh, I bet you would.” 

Korra punched Mako’s arm. Mako gave her an agitated look. He didn’t know what he was getting hit for. He was being civil. Friendly, even. Was it so weird for him, a detective, to be interested in the police station of another place? 

Before anyone else could say anything, Bolin and Kimiki appeared, juggling plates and pots. Iroh was up immediately, easing their load by taking a few things himself. Korra and Asami followed suit, and soon breakfast was placed on the table. Bolin and Kimiki said their goodbyes to each other. Kimiki promised to give Bolin the recipe for the honey dumplings before rushing off. Bolin waved at her until she was gone. 

Bolin settled himself between Korra and Mako. He began piling his plate with dumplings and rice. As he began to put a dumpling in his mouth, his eyes wandered to Izumi and Zuko. They hadn’t started eating yet. He dropped his chopsticks like they had burned him, his cheeks flushing. Could he look more stupid? Or rude? And in front of _two_ Firelords and a General, nonetheless. 

Zuko laughed. “No need to be shy. You helped with breakfast. Eat.” 

“Oh. But. I mean, you - I - I shouldn’t be so rude in front of you, Mr. Firelord. Zuko. Sir. Or you, Ms. Firelord Izumi!” Bolin babbled. 

“Just Izumi is fine, Bolin.” Izumi said, smiling softly. 

Zuko took a sip of his tea. “I, on the other hand, quite like Mr. Firelord Zuko.” 

“Father, don’t tease him. He looks like he might faint.” 

Iroh sighed. These two were having too much fun. On one hand, that was nice. But on the other? Iroh knew _exactly_ what they were doing. Or at least exactly what Zuko was doing. He would hope his own mother wouldn’t be so nosy. 

Once everyone was done giving Bolin a hard time, they began to eat. They continued talking about the plans for the day in between complimenting the food. Iroh admittedly didn’t talk much; he was too busy stuffing his face with honey dumplings. He knew he must look horribly impolite, but he couldn’t help it. They were his favorite, and today they tasted better than ever. He wasn’t sure why. 

Bolin smiled as he watched Iroh. “Did I do good?” 

“Oh, you did wonderfully. These might be the best honey dumplings I’ve ever had.” Iroh said. 

“I’m glad to hear it! Kimiki said they were your favorite and I was like, “oh man, they need to be perfect,” and then I added a little extra honey because how could that be bad?” 

“I trust your kitchen skills. They’ve never steered you wrong; everything you’ve made has been quite delicious.” 

Mako looked between Bolin and Iroh. Bolin was smiling and giggling. Iroh was smiling and very obviously trying not to look at Bolin. Oh no. Not on Mako’s watch. 

“So. Can you show me the police department?” Mako asked. 

“Of course. I can introduce you to the chief, if you’d like.” Iroh said. 

“That would be good. I like having connections. In case I ever need someone investigated.” 

Asami sighed before smiling. “Oh, you know what would be nice? A pretty dress. Fire Nation clothes are so beautiful.” 

“There are a lot of boutiques in town to choose from. I personally find that Pai Lin’s shop has some of the best pieces.” Izumi said. 

“That sounds lovely. Korra and I may have to take a look.” 

Korra groaned. “No, no more dresses. I can’t look at another dress for as long as I live.” 

“So dramatic. I’ll just take Bolin with me. His eye for fashion is pretty spot on.” 

Bolin made finger guns at Asami, smiling wide. “Finally, someone appreciates my genius and style.” 

“Okay, that’s fair, Bolin has been rocking the shorts and tights look. That’s pretty fashion forward.” Korra said. 

Ah, the warmth was back. Iroh pulled his collar away from his neck. If he just didn’t think about it, it would go away. Far away. Iroh shoved a dumpling into his mouth. Great plan. 

“So, Bolin. We’ve been talking about what sights you’ll be seeing. Anything you want to see in particular?” Zuko asked, giving Iroh a sideways glance. 

“I’ve never been before. Or well, I’ve been here but I didn’t get to really see anything. So, I want to see everything! I’m sure Iroh knows all the good places!” Bolin said. 

“He should. He roamed the streets more than enough when he was younger. How many times did we find you under that tree near the river, skipping rocks? Or hiding at Gero’s because you were upset at having to meet a girl from a visiting family?” 

“Grandfather, no one wants to hear such stories.” Iroh said, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

Zuko chuckled. “Just ask him to take you to Gero’s, Bolin. I think you will like it.” 

“Sure thing, Mr. Firelord Zuko, sir!” Bolin chirped. 

Zuko smiled at Iroh. Iroh grit his teeth. He couldn’t believe this. His own grandfather, tossing him to the wolves like this. Zuko just finished his tea before standing. 

“I look forward to hearing about your adventures at dinner. Enjoy yourselves.” Zuko said, smiling at the group. 

Everyone turned to their food after that and soon breakfast was over. The group split up to gather their things. They met up in front of the palace afterwards, ready to start their guaranteed-to-be-exciting day in the Fire Nation capital city. 

*****

The first part of their tour had been...awkward, to say the least. 

They had gone to the police station first thing, at Mako’s insistence. Iroh still couldn’t figure out why he was so focused on the police station. It wasn’t incredibly unique. It was only different from Republic City’s own station in terms of color and architecture. Inside the building? The same things happened. Iroh knew Mako was more than used to the inner workings of a police station. 

However, Iroh was nothing if not a good host, so he arranged for them to talk to the chief for a moment. Asami tried her best to seem interested, while Korra and Bolin had taken to playing with Pabu. Oh, Iroh wished he could just play with Pabu, too. That would be far better than being stared at by Mako, who was questioning the chief on laws regarding crimes of passion and self-defense. It was rather uncomfortable. 

Finally, the chief had to excuse herself to attend to business, and Iroh let out a sigh of relief unconsciously. They could move on. Thank the spirits. Iroh led them from the building and through the streets, pointing out things along the way. He showed them the street vendor with the best sweets in the Capital, the one he himself used to frequent as a kid with his sister. Bolin’s eyes seemed to sparkle as he looked at the treats. 

“Wow! I’ve heard about these! The fish!” Bolin exclaimed. 

“It’s taiyaki. There’s different kinds, but both the red bean and the chocolate ones are good.” Iroh said. 

“Oh, I love both of those things!” Bolin looked at the vendor, pointing to the picture of taiyaki on the cart sign, “I’ll take a chocolate and a red bean, please. 

The vendor nodded, pouring batter into a fish-shaped pan. Bolin began to dig in his pocket for his wallet. Iroh stopped him. 

“Please, allow me.” Iroh said, pulling out his own wallet. 

“No way! You’re already taking all this time to show us around and stuff. I got it.” Bolin said. 

“What kind of host would I be if I didn’t treat you to local snacks?” 

Korra and Asami shared a look, then a chuckle. Iroh looked over to them. Oh. He was being rude; he hadn’t even offered to get them anything. Asami saw the concern in Iroh’s face and made a motion with her hand. 

“Don’t worry, we’re still full from breakfast. Bolin is just always hungry.” Asami said. 

“It’s true. I love food. Especially tasty street food.” Bolin said. 

Iroh nodded. “If that’s the case, perhaps you should try mochi, as well. They have one with a black tea and tapioca pearl filling.” 

“Whoa. Like a tiny bubble tea? You’re blowing my mind right now.” 

Iroh asked the vendor to add an order of mochi to their ticket before handing over the money. The vendor took it, exchanging it for the two taiyaki and a little box of five mochi. Iroh handed them to Bolin, who wasted no time bringing the chocolate taiyaki to his mouth and taking a bite. His eyes went wide. It was so good! He took another bite before holding it out to Iroh. 

Iroh looked at it, confused for a moment. Bolin was smiling at him. Did he...want him to take a bite? It would be rude to refuse, Iroh supposed. He took a bite. It was still as delicious and chocolatey as he remembered. 

“Still as good as I remember. Thank you for sharing.” Iroh said. 

Bolin took another bite and offered it to Iroh again. Iroh accepted. This time, though, his lips brushed against Bolin’s fingers. He pulled away, covering his mouth as he looked at Bolin’s surprised expression. Mako wedged himself between Iroh and Bolin. They should keep moving. They had a lot to see, and for Mako, that didn’t include whatever this was. Iroh should just let Bolin eat his snacks in peace. 

They continued on. Iroh was sure their next stop would be something everyone would enjoy. Especially Korra. He was admittedly still a bit embarrassed that he had forgotten to ask if her, Asami, or Mako had wanted anything at the vendor cart. They took a turn, leading them into a more rural area of the city. After a while, they came upon a small stall. Iroh stopped. 

“Welcome to the dragon conservatory.” Iroh said. 

“Oh man! This is going to be awesome! Bring on the dragons!” Korra cheered. 

“There aren’t any dragons here.” Mako said. 

“They might be hiding.” Asami said. 

“You’re close.” Iroh said, reaching into the stall and pulling out what looked like a conch shell. 

Iroh blew into the shell, making a loud, horn-like sound. A few moments later, shadows began falling over the open field before them. Korra laughed excitedly. Maybe eight dragons were flying overhead, three of them looking rather small. 

“Asami! There’s _babies_.” Korra said. 

“I know! I bet they’re adorable.” Asami said. 

After a minute or so, the dragons began to land. Some stayed huddled off to the side with the babies, but the others seemed happy to roll around in the grass or stretch out on the ground. A man hopped off of the back of one of the dragons. He walked over to the group, holding a hand out to Iroh. 

“Long time, no see, Iroh! Glad you came by.” The man said. 

“I’m glad, too. I’ve brought some friends to meet the dragons. Everyone, this is Haru, a childhood friend of mine. He helps run the conservatory.” Iroh said. 

“Cool! So you get to just play with dragons all day?” Korra asked. 

“Play with them, feed them, give them checkups. I even ride them. I was just taking them on an exercise flight.” Haru said. 

“That sounds like the best job ever. I’ve always wanted to ride one.” 

Haru grinned. “Oh, I can do that for you! Three of you will probably fit with me on Diggy, she’s the red one I was just riding.” 

“Aww, her name is Diggy?” Asami asked. 

“She loves to dig holes. Oh, there’s five of you. Hmm...Iroh, you want to take Mizu so we can all fly at the same time?” 

“Sure. I’ve missed her.” Iroh said. 

“Great! Well, I guess we’ll just decide who wants to ride where and -“ 

Korra and Asami shared a look, nodding at each other. They each hooked an arm with Mako’s. 

“The three of us would love to ride with you, Haru!” Korra said. 

Mako began to protest, but was cut off by a look from Korra. He sighed. He wasn’t going to be able to stop this. Bolin looked to Iroh, his cheeks flushed despite the chilly air. He was going to ride with Iroh. On a dragon. How cool was that? 

The group settled themselves on their respective dragons. Mako was squished between Korra and Asami, but he could still give Iroh a death glare. And he would give Iroh a death glare, because Iroh was guiding Bolin’s arms around his waist. Mako knew logically that it was just to keep Bolin from falling, but still. Too much contact. 

Bolin gave Iroh’s middle a little squeeze. “Is that too tight?” 

“Not at all. Hold me as tightly as you feel you need to.” Iroh said, a blush creeping to his cheeks. 

“Okay. Just so you know, heights kinda freak me out sometimes, so I may squeeze hard. Or scream. Or both. Wow, I am not doing myself any favors saying all this to you, I promise I’m not a scaredy cat or anything.” 

Iroh couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s fine. Everyone is nervous riding for the first time. Just hold onto me and I’ll keep you safe.” 

Bolin felt his heart leap into his throat. Iroh would keep him safe. Of course. Bolin rested his cheek against Iroh’s back as they took off, rising higher and higher off the ground. The others were right beside them, and together the group soared through the sky. 

Everything looked so small from so high up. Bolin’s eyes sparkled as he laughed, the wind whipping through his hair. Iroh chanced a look back at the other man. His heart nearly skipped a beat. Bolin was beautiful. He was gorgeous like this, so happy and excited. Iroh felt a sudden squeeze at his waist as Bolin hugged him. He smiled softly. 

They flew around for only an hour or so before landing. When the group was together again, it was a chorus of excited yelling. Korra was telling Bolin about doing a loop in the air, while Bolin told her about feeling the clouds. Mako and Asami were listening to them with smiles. Mako looked at Iroh from the corner of his eye. Iroh looked back. Mako looked away, satisfied for now that nothing had happened. 

“You guys are welcome any time. Mizu and Diggy love flying and people, so they love visitors.” Haru said. 

“We’ll make sure to come by again! That was so awesome!” Korra said. 

Haru sent them on their way with a smile and a wave. Iroh led the group back into town. Okay, so they had maybe missed their lunch reservation because of dragon riding. No one seemed particularly worried about that, though. Everyone was smiling and happy. So, Iroh figured he could take them anywhere at this point, and he settled on the best place he could think of. 

Gero’s. 

They arrived rather quickly at the restaurant, and it was nearly empty, so they were seated quickly, too. They looked over the menus in silence for a moment, before Asami set hers down. 

“This is the place Zuko mentioned, right? Maybe you should order for us, Iroh.” She said. 

“Oh. Well, they specialize in ramen. There’s many types, but shoyu is my favorite.” Iroh said. 

Bolin laughed. “You have a noodle hidey hole, too!” 

“Excuse me?” 

“You remember Narook’s? That’s my noodle hidey hole! Because, like, I would hide there when I was upset. But I also went there when I was happy, so maybe it was just my noodle spot.” 

Iroh rubbed his chin in thought. “I suppose this is my noodle hidey hole, then.” 

“Liking noodles is an important relationship basis. Essential to romance.” Bolin’s face suddenly turned red, and he looked away from Iroh, “not that you’re being romantic! Or me! I’m not being romantic! Noodles are just really good! Wow, so tasty! Wish I had some so I would just stop talking!” 

Bolin picked up his glass and took the longest sip Iroh had ever seen as Korra and Asami laughed. Iroh’s own cheeks began to heat up. He hoped the waiter came back soon so they could order. That would help calm things down again. 

As if the fates themselves had heard Iroh’s plea, the waiter showed up. Iroh did, in fact, just end up ordering for everyone. Miso ramen for Korra, tonkotsu ramen for Mako, shio ramen for Asami, and shoyu ramen for himself and Bolin. No particular reason for him and Bolin having the same order, of course. He just thought they might have similar tastes. It definitely wasn’t because he wanted to share his favorite dish with Bolin. No, sir. 

Once the waiter left, the group fell into easy conversation again. 

“I hope I have been a good tour guide so far.” Iroh said. 

“You’ve been awesome! You know all these awesome places! And the dragons were so amazing! I had fun riding with you!” Bolin babbled cheerfully. 

“Yeah, you’re a great tour guide. Maybe you should switch careers.” Korra joked. 

“I’d miss the sea, I think.” Iroh said. 

“I’m sure. It must be interesting to travel all over.” Asami said. 

“It is, usually. I’ll admit, I often don’t get acquainted with the places I dock. The time you showed me around Republic City was the first time I had actually seen the city leisurely.” 

Bolin frowned. “Well, next time you’re in the Earth Nation, let me know! I can show you around Ba Sing Se and a few other places. And you can meet my family! Grandma, she _loves_ royals. She’ll be all over you like she is Wu.” 

Iroh smiled. “I’ll hold you to that. I think I may actually be able to show you some places in Ba Sing Se, though.” 

“I’d like that! It’s a date!” 

“A friend date.” Mako clarified through gritted teeth. 

Asami elbowed him. Spirits, he was going to have bruises. He grumbled and rolled his eyes as the conversation moved on to the Earth Nation and how well the reconstruction had been going. After a while, their food came out and it was back to comfortable silence. Though, it was broken up periodically by everyone saying how good the food was. Bolin ended up ordering another bowl of ramen, one he planned to share with Pabu. The little fire ferret chittered happily as Bolin fed him. 

Soon, their late lunch was over and it was time to start heading back to the palace. Iroh decided they could take the long way home to do a little more sightseeing. He took them down the streets by the river. As they walked, Iroh told them a few stories. Zuko would be proud of the ones Iroh chose to tell. They were somewhat silly and embarrassing, but in a good way. He told them about learning to use his fire bending to fly and that it got him stuck in a tree. He told them about catching crawfish on the bank with his sister. With each one, it sparked a story from another member of the group. Iroh enjoyed hearing them. 

It was getting dark by the time they reached the palace. Korra, Asami, and Mako were eager to get inside and take a look around the study. As they walked ahead, Iroh turned to see where Bolin had gone. He found the earth bender just looking out at the city from the top of the palace steps. Iroh walked over to him. 

“It looks so lively at night.” Bolin said breathlessly. 

“I’m sure Republic City is the same.” Iroh said. 

“Yeah, but this view is so nice. And the lanterns are lit up so beautifully. It’s very...romantic.” 

Iroh looked at Bolin, finding that the other man was looking at him as well. Bolin’s eyes were lidded, and he was leaning in, just like in the garden. Iroh felt his chest tighten in panic. Did Bolin want to kiss? Was this really it? Did Bolin like him? 

_If a man is leaning in for a kiss, I assure you it means they would like a kiss._

And so, Iroh did. He met Bolin halfway, pressing his lips to the earth bender’s. His hand came up to cup one of Bolin’s cheeks, and he felt Bolin’s Ames come to rest around his neck, bringing them even closer together. They stayed like that for a bit, until Iroh broke away for air. Bolin blinked at him. 

“Wow. I-I’ve been waiting so long for that.” Bolin said. 

“Me too.” Iroh responded honestly. 

“Think we can do it again? You know, just to make sure that it was fireworks I was seeing because that was _really_ nice.” 

“I think we can do it as many times as we want now.” 

“Oh, good!” 

They kissed again. Iroh let his hands come to rest at Bolin’s waist. Oh, the high waisted shorts. Maybe Iroh owed that shorts and tights combination a thank you for this. 

“I told you! What did I tell you?” Came Korra’s voice. 

“Oh, Korra, we all knew. It was just a matter of time.” Zuko said. 

Iroh and Bolin pulled away, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. Bolin awkwardly waved. 

“Hey, guys. Nothing going on here, nope. Have you seen this skyline? You should check out this skyline!” Bolin said. 

“Oh, don’t mind us. Please, keep on doing what you were doing.” Asami said. 

“Or don’t. Ever.” Mako said. 

Bolin pouted at Mako. “We’ll be inside in a second.” 

“Take your time. I expect details.” Zuko said. 

With that, Zuko turned and began to head back inside. Korra, Asami, and Mako stayed for a moment, but soon followed Zuko. With everyone gone, Iroh pulled Bolin in for one more kiss. Maybe after this, Iroh would give Zuko the details. Just this once. He kind of wanted to brag about his amazing new boyfriend that pioneered the shorts and leggings look.


End file.
